Nabarangpur: The government has launched a host of welfare programmes for construction workers. Identity cards are being issued to the workers before providing them sops. But middlemen have come into play, exploiting the labourers financially on the promise of getting them identity cards in Nabarangpur district, a report said.
As per provision, the registered labourers are entitled to get free education and scholarship for their children, housing benefit, safety kits and free bicycles.
Labourers are unaware of the official formalities for the registration. Middlemen are taking advantage of their gullibility and extracting handsomely from the labourers on the promise of getting them the identity cards.
Even though such illegality is going on in most parts of the district, the administration is taking no action.
A broker has taken money from a labourer several times to get him a card in Papadahandi block. But the broker is playing hide and seek and is not giving him the card. The labour department is also allegedly sitting pretty. Various outfits have demanded an investigation into such illegalities and action against middlemen.
It was alleged that middleman collects Rs 350 to Rs 900 from each labourer in Papadahandi.
The middleman has also collected Rs 450 each from over 100 labourers of Dunadangari village. Samandhu Pujari, Saita Gouda, Padam Gouda, Bhuban Gouda, Dhanapati Bhatra, Damuni Gouda and Suru Gouda accused the middleman of doing nothing even after taking money from them.
Such illegal activities have allegedly being going on in many other panchayats.
It was also alleged that some forged cards are provide to labourers.
Another middleman has collected Rs 500 to Rs 1000 each from over a hundred people at Makia village in the same block. Suna Bisoyi, Jagannath Ganda, Suru Gouda, Sata Gouda, Mungai Gouda, Maina Gouda and Jaga Gouda of Makia have paid to the middleman for identity cards and registration.
Various quarters have alleged that lakhs of rupees are being coughed up from the poor and gullible labourers on the promise of labour welfare. They said that labour welfare of the state government has been hijacked by brokers while most labourers end up being exploited at the hands of middlemen.
They said that the district administration should take such illegalities seriously and act accordingly.
The labour department is doing little to check the illegalities which are scuttling the very purpose of labour welfare.
When asked, district labour officer Narendra Gaipai said the matter will be investigated if any complaint comes.
PNN